Bono Prepares for New Documentary Amid U2’s Las Vegas Residency

NEW YORK CITY, New York — Bono, the frontman of U2, is set to release a new documentary on May 30 that precedes an ambitious multimedia campaign including a 40-track album, a memoir, a virtual reality experience, and a one-man show.

The project was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic when Bono and guitarist The Edge re-recorded some of U2’s greatest hits. ‘It became more of an undertaking,’ Bono said in an interview with Esquire. ‘All of this stuff does. It does!’

The documentary comes on the heels of U2’s recent residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a venue Bono humorously noted is ‘not actually spherical.’ He described it as a ‘very big dome’ that can project massive images, joking, ‘like Hollywood-sign big—minus the Botox.’

Bono has a long-standing connection with Las Vegas, dating back to the band filming the music video for ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ in 1987. ‘I love the fact that it’s a town that appears to be designed by children so that adults can run around and behave like them,’ he remarked, praising the hardworking individuals in the city.

The singer also shared his concerns about the current state of the world, expressing anger over the reduced support for global relief efforts since the new U.S. administration took office. ‘The United States has been a promised land to a lot of people,’ he said, ‘but it looks like it’s about to break that promise.’

Through his nonprofit organization, ONE, Bono was instrumental in passing major legislation for HIV/AIDS relief in 2003. He lamented the recent cuts to global health initiatives, describing the situation as ‘unbelievable carnage.’ ‘These are the brightest, best people, who’ve given their lives trying to serve the poorest, most vulnerable communities,’ he stated.

Bono, known for his bipartisan outreach, previously collaborated with former President George W. Bush on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He identifies as a ‘radical centrist’ and criticized extreme political views on both sides, stating, ‘What’s being served up on the far left and on the far right is not where we need to be.’

Bono shared his belief that American voters will make the right choices if presented with the facts. ‘The problem is getting them the facts, especially right now,’ he said.

Meanwhile, U2 is back in the studio, producing new material for an upcoming album, which Bono hinted could lead to a new tour. ‘Everyone in the band seems desperate for it,’ he said. ‘It’s like their lives depend on it.’

Although the album title is still undetermined, one song is tentatively called ‘Freedom Is a Feeling.’ Bono emphasized, ‘I don’t just want to be singing about freedom. I want to be freedom, the feeling.’

While Bono enjoys his life in the Côte d’Azur, he is eager to return to the stage under the right circumstances. ‘You want to have some very good reasons to leave home,’ he shared. U2’s last studio album, Songs of Experience, was released in 2017 and was supported by the Experience + Innocence Tour.

The band’s recent residency in Las Vegas received critical acclaim, showcasing the synergy between U2’s performances and the venue’s cutting-edge technology. Bono expressed uncertainty about the future but remains optimistic. ‘I hope they’re going to still be there for us,’ he said of the fans. ‘We’ve pushed them to their elastic limit over the years.’